Keep On Truck’n

By Jasleen Singh and Donna M. Kreutz 

Connor Cantrell turned 9 on 9/9/99.  Nine years earlier he was born at 9:49 p.m.  Guess what his truck number is.  Did you say 9?  Great guess!

Seventeen-year-old Connor Cantrell was born to drive.  The ride-on car he received on his first birthday was replaced by an electric power car on his second.  When he turned six, a 50cc motorcycle took over and at age seven an old fun kart permanently marked his passion for car racing.  
At eight, Connor officially started racing at Saugus Speedway and hasn’t stopped since.  From karting to racing half-sized stock cars in the “Mini-Cup” to blowing away competition that was two and three times older than he in the Legends Cars series, Connor’s victories are numerous and impressive.  
All of his successes have brought him to the NASCAR sanctioned King Taco Super Trucks at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.  In this series, Connor has already posted more than ten Top 10’s, a Rookie of the Year Award and is now contending for the Super Truck Championship.  
With just two races left in this year’s season, Connor is currently chasing long-time, well-known Irwindale driver Pat Mintey, 50 points behind the leader.  Tension is high as the season concludes and Pat might just have to deal with one of the young lions in his sport.  
As Connor pursues his passion for racing, his parents are always there to support him.  But with no family history in the sport, we asked him, why racing?  He said, “Everybody has their sport…I just love racing.  It’s not slow-paced, like golf or baseball…there’s no downtime; every lap is intense.”
His next step is racing late model cars but he needs more support.  Since the intensity, equipment and crews increase with every series he moves up, Connor is always looking for sponsors.  His ambition combined with his approachable personality makes him the perfect driver and spokesperson for sponsors.  He is already media savvy, as he was quick to mention his current sponsors, including Hollywood Rentals, which supplies equipment to the movie industry.  Other sponsors are EarthlinkTravel.net, a full service on-line travel agency; Cantrell Aire, United States Air Condition Distributors; and Sports Fantasy League.  Connor also gives credit to Crew Chief Jeff Latimer and the rest of his crew for this season’s successes.
This Valencia High School senior also enjoys snowboarding, skateboarding and wakeboarding but his heart is in his truck and on the track.  So hey Kasey Kahne, you better watch out…that Budweiser No. 9 just might be getting a new driver sooner than you planned.
For more info and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.connorcantrell.com.  

Photos by Kathy Cleversley